"A gente tem que falar sobre racismo agora?”: sobre psicologia, racismo e antirracismo.

Abstract

This dissertation aims to investigate the role of psychologists in a very important demand: the fight against racial discrimination in Brazil. We understand that to participate in this endeavor, professionals should leave the graduation prepared to face this challenge, but research shows that this is not the reality. Many psychologists with no training on the topic perform low-quality care, disregard the suffering caused by racism and in some cases sabotage the face of racial discrimination on purpose (Santana, 2017; Benedito, 2018). These deplorable situations hurt an important resolution of the Federal Council of Psychology (Resolução do Conselho Federal de Psicologia), which states that professionals should contribute with their knowledge to eliminate racism. To analyze the involvement of the psychologists with this commitment, I conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen professionals – eleven black, two white and two Indigenous – selected for recognizing that racism interferes in our labor practices or in the lives of the Brazilians we serve. Therefore, they need to deal with the effects of racial discrimination on their professional activities or research. The narratives of these interlocutors confirm that racism was not an issue addressed at graduation in such a way as to support a professional practice capable of combating the consequences of racial discrimination. The reports also showed that many professionals were encouraged to improve their knowledge of racism after understanding the effects of prejudice on their own lives or in rebuilding their racial identities. The interviews were analyzed using Critical Linguistic Awareness (Fairclough, 2016) and the results generated three categories: 1. the personal experience with racism, 2. Psychology and training of professionals and 3. connections to an anti-racist society. In short, the research shows an expressive participation of black psychologists in the fight against racism. Professionals have expressed concern about the different mechanisms of racial discrimination, stating that racism has a structural dimension that needs to be addressed. They mentioned that undergraduate teachers considered racism an irrelevant issue, a thought typical of much of the Brazilian population. However, the psychologists have said exactly the opposite: they emphatically argued that prejudice and discrimination must be combated and that vocational training that incorporates discussions on the subject can contribute greatly to an anti-racist society.